Butter-box



A. SWEATTV BUTTER ox.

(No Model.)

Patented Oct. 2, 1.883.

INVENTOR:

62 nywea/fi ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ATHERTON SYVEATT, OF \VEBSIER, NEWV HAMPSHIRE.

BUTTE R-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 286,157, dated October2, 1883. Application filed July 28,1883. (No modell) To all whom it mayconcern:

Be it known that I, ATHERTON SWEATT, of WVebster, in the county ofMerrimac and State of New Hampshire, have invented a new and ImprovedButter-Box, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to knockdown boxes adapted for the economicaltransportation of food products and other merchandise; and the object ofthe invention is to provide a simple, strong, and inexpensive box orpackage of this character more especially adapted for the shipment ofbutter.

The invention consists in a contrivance of the box with folding sidesand a cover having a retaining flange-strip for locking the fold ingparts about the contents of the package, all as hereinafter fullydescribed and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 represents my improved butterbox in perspective view, and withthe sides and ends let down and the cover lifted. Fig. 2 is across-sectional view of the box with the butter packed therein, and asheld in the temporary frame employed for holding the sides and ends inplace before the cover is applied; and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectionalelevation on the line 00 a, Fig. 2, with the cover in place on the box.i

I make the improved box of a bottom, a, ends b, of the same length asthe bottom, and sides 0, of a length equal to that of the bottom a, andthe thickness of the two ends I); and I hinge the parts a b c to eachother and so that the ends and sides may fold up against the edges ofthe bottom into vertical positions, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3; and Imake the ends and sides Z) c narrower than the full outside height ofthe body of the box, so that the screw-eyes d and staples e, which Iprefer to employ for hinging the parts a b c to each other, may have asecure fastening in the edges of these parts and be contained in theangular spaces f all around the edges of the box-bottom a, therebypermitting the set-up boxes to be packed closely upon and against eachother when a number of them are packed away in a largercase or crate, aspecial object being to provide a box or boxes of a size to snugly holdsmall and measured quantities of butter-say from three to six pounds ormoreso that the butter may be sold to consumers in the original packageand in prime condition.

I make the cover 9 of the box large enough to fully overlap the upperedges of the ends and sides I) c, and fix to the cover all around thethin strip h, made preferably of metal, so as tobe strong and occupy butsmall space sidewise, while it will project downward asa flange tooverlap the ends and sides for locking them firmly about the butter inthe box.

In using the improvement I set the body of the box in any suitablesquare frame, 2', having thumb-screws k, or any approved hooks, buttons,or other contrivance adapted to hold the box ends and sides I) c in avertical position against the outward thrusts of packing the butter inthe box, and so that the cover 9 will fit closely when applied; and whenthe ends and sides I) c are thus stayed in position I line the interiorof the box with thin cloth or wood-pulp paper, Z, wet with brine, andthen pack the butter m solidly to the top, whereupon the lining Z islapped over the top of the butter, and the cover 9 finally applied, asin Fig. 3, when the outer clampingdrame, 2', may be removed, and thepacked box is ready for shipment; and upon removing the cover 9 thesides and ends may readily be folded down, as in Fig. 1, and the liningZ removed from the butter, which retains unbroken the form of theinterior of the box, and may be cut to advan tage and without waste, orserved without cutting, according to the size of the box, in either casehaving its original freshness and presenting a clean, nice appearance.

The empty boxes maybe returned to the dairyman either in the folded orsetup condition, as in Fig. 3, or the open box-bodies, as in Fig. 1, maybe laid one upon the other and the covers packed separately, in eithercase permitting the return of the boxes for re l filling at smallexpense; or the boxes may be made sufficiently cheap to be used for theshipment of butter but once, if desired.

Hinges of any approved form may substitute theeyes and staples (7 e, oreyes and staples alone maybe used, as most economical or convenient: 1Having thus described my invention, What 5 I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A butter-box constructed with a bottom,

(I, folding ends and sides I) 0', and a cover, 9,

having the fixed flange-strip h for locking the 10 ends and sides infolded positions, substantially as shown and described.

angle-spaces f, and a cover, 9 having the fixed 1 5' flange-strip 71,substantially as shown and described.

ATHERTON S\VEATT.

\Vitnc'sses:

F. L. SWEATT, \V. J. SIMPsoN.

